Ford 6.0 and 7.3 powerstroke diesels

Hi group,
Anyone using a Ford 6.0 or 7.3 PS diesel for a tow vehicle? If so what kind of mileage are you getting. I am reading some claims on the Ford Truck forums that are kind of hard to believe, although I really want to believe them.
Charlie

I have owned 2 7.3s, both predate my HiLo. However, I can say their fuel mileage was slightly less than my 6.7 de-smoged Cummins pulling similar loads. The 6.7 with a 2208t in tow yielded 17+ mpg @ 70-75mph on a lengthy trip (Austin Tx to Va). Using the SWAG method, I would expect those 7.3s to yield about 16mpg on that same trip.

motobuffy said:

I have owned 2 7.3s, both predate my HiLo. However, I can say their fuel mileage was slightly less than my 6.7 de-smoged Cummins pulling similar loads. The 6.7 with a 2208t in tow yielded 17+ mpg @ 70-75mph on a lengthy trip (Austin Tx to Va). Using the SWAG method, I would expect those 7.3s to yield about 16mpg on that same trip.

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either one beats a ford V6 F150 at 9 mpg. The best I get on it avg, tank to tank is 15.5 not pulling anything but its self.

Diesel engines are great for mileage. For example, I used to own a 28' boat with a Ford 460 (7.5 L) engine rated at 330 HP. The mileage at 18 knots cruise ranged between 1.2-1.4 nautical miles/gallon. I now own a 37' boat that weighs three times what my 28' boat did. It has two Cummins 6BTA engines (like the early Dodge trucks) rated at 270 HP each. This boat gets the same mileage as the 28' boat did, at the same speed.

It's too bad that we don't see compact trucks with Diesels in the US.

Norton, we have about the same story for boat mileage. We have a 35' Fountain, off shore racing boat. Two 502's for power. If we run on the river, slightly rough water, 40 MPH, we get 1.4 MPG. If we crank it up and run 80 MPH under the same conditions we get .9 MPG. Sometimes it's better to just anchor up in a cove, have a cold one, and turn the radio up loud.

Sorry, I meant to type "Raul."

notanlines said:

Norton, we have about the same story for boat mileage. We have a 35' Fountain, off shore racing boat. Two 502's for power. If we run on the river, slightly rough water, 40 MPH, we get 1.4 MPG. If we crank it up and run 80 MPH under the same conditions we get .9 MPG. Sometimes it's better to just anchor up in a cove, have a cold one, and turn the radio up loud.

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LOL.... my 18 knot cruise is like standing still for you!

My buddy has a boat similar to yours. A few years ago the Coast Guard wanted to do a routine boarding. Unfortunately for them he did not see them behind him in their large inflatable as he powered up just past a no-wake zone. Fifteen minutes later he backed off to hull speed because his wife wanted to make lunch. A short while later the coasties showed up, all upset because he did not stop for them. In the end he figured that they were more upset about the ego bashing (my boat is faster than your boat...), than the fact that he did not stop originally.

I have a 99 f250 crewcab w a 7.3 and without a tuner, I get 18 mpg at 75 and at 65, towing my 88 22 foot funchaser, it weighes 4200 empty, I get 16mpg. If I had a tuner on it, I would get up to 22mpg or 20 towing the hi-lo. these are hiway mpg figures, around town its 12 to 14 because of starting and stopping 8600lbs just for the truck is a lot to start and stop.I hope this helps

that sure does help. I get 8.7 with the Ford V6 towing the same weight range. Tank to tank average without towing is 15.5. I have a light foot and always get good mileage no mater what I drive. This F150 has to go.

I've towed out 27T with both a '99 F250 7.3 diesel, and now with our 2003 7.3 diesel Excursion. Both have/had DP Tuner chips, with the 60hp tow, and 80 hp Economy settings. We live at 4500', and have to negotiate many mountain passes on our trips, so factor that in. Towing at 65 mph we consistently get 14-15 mpg. For example, on the last trip the first tank yielded 14.8 mpg, hand calculated. Two years before on a 2000 mile trip, 14.7.

The max I ever have gotten with the '99, set up with a Gear Vendor gear splitter transmission, at 60 mph, careful driving, truck unloaded not towing, was 22 mpg. That's once, and that is MAX. At 60 mph my normal average, well documented for business reasons, was 19.x. At 70 mph highway cruise average was 17.X mpg. And I drove like a crusty granny to get that mpg.

DO NOT believe the guys that post consistent average mileages over 20 at tow speeds ! No-No-No : They use a vivid imagination, and go by the 'lie-O-meter' mpg gauge in the truck, which is never accurate. There is a whole lot of BS going around on the diesel forums, and based on my personal experience and those of people I know to be honest who own diesels, I know you will get mid to high 'teens. No magic bullet. Best mileage modification is a numb right foot.

However, nice to have that diesel power!

Good towing

Reno

2003 Excursion, F250 X/B springs, sway bar, HD steering stabilizer, Two Aux tranny coolers, trans in-line filter, DP Tunes, Edge CTS Gauges

Gone but not forgotten: early '99 F250, 4" exhaust, DP Tunes, Gear Vendor aux trans, aux trans cooler, X/B springs, aux gauges

Charley, you better do the math before you dump a perfectly good F-150 for $40 - $60K worth of a little better mileage when towing.

X2 with Reno. We are currently camped between Cherokee, NC and the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trip was 330 miles from the low country of SC. When we filled up just before Asheville, NC, we got 14 miles per gallon "clean" diesel. We are driving a 2010 F-250 Power Stroke diesel 6.4 liter quad cab towing 6000 lbs. of Hi-Lo loaded for two weeks of camping; we had A/C on low in the truck and in tow/mode and had cruise control on. By the time we got through the steep grades after Asheville and to the campground five miles outside of Cherokee, NC, we were down to 12.5 mpg. We were "warm and fuzzy" regarding the easy tow with this 6.4 Diesel engine. We have been told by JimL from Virginia who participates on this forum that the more miles you get on this diesel, the better the mileage. At this point, we only have 35,000 miles.

Dee

This doesn't address your question, rather it's just my rant.
Like most men I really wanted a diesel. Any diesel. But I eventually allowed common sense to creep in.

If you're always on the go, generally pulling heavy, mountainous/high altitude, then a diesel may make sense. Otherwise do the math.

A diesel costs significantly (sig.) more upfront, its' maintenance (routine and emergency) costs sig. more, the fuel costs sig. more; and at trade-in time you'll only recoup a small percentage of your initial upfront costs. Cold climate? Hard starting even with two batteries; and diesel fuel additives are common.

In my mind it became a question of dollars per mile and gasoline easily wins this.
I still want a diesel ... but until I win a lottery it'll be a gasoline engine.

Now to better answer the question. Go to fuelly.com and drill down to the specific vehicle/engine combinations you're questioning. My gas F250 V10 is about 12.7 MPG. Comparatively quite exceptional. But I drive like a grandpa.

Wrascal, how many miles on your V-10? My '01 crew cab F250 has about 340K and Brenda's '02 Excursion just turned over 300K. The V-10's just keep on keepin' on! The only problem we've had is each one has blown a plug out of the head. And they both use about a quart in 1200 miles.

Mine ONLY has 182K miles, and at 2000 miles/year I'll never realize your miles. Purchased just one year ago at 180K.

As it was purchased with ZERO maintenance history I've put about $1500 into it, all fluids/ consumables, etc, and inspections.

I found a 2004 E350 van loaded with a 6.0 diesel. First tank around the area I did 17.07 MPG and my son has got it now to do the fine tuning. He is a master Ford tech and a darned good one. He drove it before I bought it.
I laid out 6500 bucks for a unit that has 168K miles but it rns great, has a 5 speed automatic, 3.55 gears and a locking differential as well as front and rear air and heat. The 600 pounds of extra seats are now in storage and with a front end alignment and whatever Rick is doing to it I will check mileage again. I am putting a bunk and fridge in the back so my wife and dogs can stretch out when she gets tired. I even ordered seat belts so she can belt herself in while napping. Like someone said, you take a beating when you trade a diesel so I let someone else take the beating. As for a perfectly good Ford V6 it's fine, but not a tow vehicle for sure, So I will sell this perfectly good F150. Lots of projects to do that just ain't gonna get done before winter. Tjhanks guys for all the discussion. By the way, I have the snowblower filled up and ready for winter. Started first pull. I put 3 oz of ATF in the mt tank over the summer.

Id say at 6500.00 you have a pretty decent deal whether it be diesel or otherwise, depending, of course, on how much needs to go into an o4 van with 132k. The argument with diesels, of course, is whether the rest of the vehicle can keep up with the engine mileage. If you have a mechanic in the family I suspect you will be able to stay ahead of the game. Sounds like fun-

Rick

I have just purchased a 2003 Lariat f350 with the 7.3 with 180k. Bought from my brother, and has all documents and log. Chipped.
My brother used it to pull his 15k lb trlr to the desert.
My old toyota 6 cyl 3.4 has over 215k and just isn't up to the task of going over the mntns well.
I used to live in a a VW bus, so down shifting and maintaining a good rpm was not really an issue. But now moving up to the east side as they say.

I haven't picked up the truck yet so I can't comment on mileage. But the 6cyl mpg wasn't that great due to small size. Average 15mpg on flat, at 60mph, and down to 10mpg at 70mph and mntns.
MPG is not the issue. A more relaxed drive is. And this vehicle has all of the bells and whistles. Not to be used as a around town vehicle. It has a specific purpose, and will be used as such.